Echeveria plant named ‘AMIECH2001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Echeveria  hybrid plant named ‘AMIECH2001’ which is characterized by an abundance of foliage held upright in a basal rosette, foliage with lightly serrulate and moderately undulate margins, light greyed-green foliage that is margined nearly white and lightly suffused with blue-green, and the stability of these characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Echeveria elegans x Echeveria shaviana.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Echeveria hybrid disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘AMIECH2001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘AMIECH2001’ is an interspecific hybrid seedling selection resulting from the controlled pollination of an unnamed Echeveria elegans plant (not patented), the seed parent, with an unnamed Echeveria shaviana plant (not patented), the pollen parent. The crossing was made by the inventor in the spring of 2013 at a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. In summer of 2014, one seedling was observed which exhibited unique growth and foliage characteristics. The seedling was isolated for further evaluation in order to confirm the distinctness and stability of the characteristics first observed. In the winter of 2014, upon confirmation of distinctness and stability, ‘AMIECH2001’ was selected for commercialization.

Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2001’, by way of rooting leaf cuttings, was first initiated in the autumn of 2015 at the inventor's commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Through five subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar have proven to be stable and true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘AMIECH2001’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘AMIECH2001’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘AMIECH2001’ as a new and distinct Echeveria hybrid cultivar:

-   -   1. ‘AMIECH2001’ exhibits an abundance of relatively small         foliage which is tightly held upright in a basal rosette; and     -   2. ‘AMIECH2001’ exhibits spatulate foliage that is curved         downward at the apex; and     -   3. ‘AMIECH2001’ exhibits foliar margins which are lightly         serrulate and moderately undulate in juvenile leaves and nearer         to entire and less undulated as foliage matures; and     -   4. ‘AMIECH2001’ exhibits moderately to strongly glaucous foliage         which is light greyed-green and lightly suffused with         blue-green, with nearly white margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘AMIECH2001’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 9 months old, shown planted in an 11 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage arrangement of ‘AMIECH2001.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the adaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIECH2001’.

FIG. 4 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the abaxial surface of the mature foliage ‘AMIECH2001’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in January of 2020 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 8 months old ‘AMIECH2001’ plants grown in 11 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, the Netherlands. Plants were produced using conventional greenhouse production protocols for Echeveria plants which consisted of minimal irrigation and fertilizer applications, and chemical pest and disease control measures against mealy bug and Botrytis as required. Plants were grown under approximately 50 percent shade after propagation and later exposed to full sun once they began to mature. No photoperiodic treatments or artificial light was given to the plants.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘AMIECH2001’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘AMIECH2001’ and comparisons with the parent plants and closest known comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Succulent perennial with foliage growing in a             non-branched basal rosette.         -   Plant shape.—Flattened to flattened globular.         -   Height from soil level to top of foliar plane.—6.0 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 14.5 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Moderately fast growing.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous to highly vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Type — Leaf cuttings. Time to initiate rooting             — Approximately 21 days at 18 degrees Celsius. Crop time —             Approximately 35 weeks to produce a marketable plant in a 7             cm container.         -   Disease and pest resistance or susceptibility.—Neither             resistance nor susceptibility to typical Echeveria pests and             diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             to 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius;             moderate tolerance to rain yet drought tolerant once             established; high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Fine, well-branched fibrous roots. -   Stems:     -   -   Branching habit.—Leaves in a non-branching basal rosettes;             no main branches or lateral branches present. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 90 leaves per rosette.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Dimensions.—6.2 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, and 0.6 cm thick, on             average.         -   Aspect.—Flat and curved downward at the apex.         -   Attitude.—Juvenile foliage at the center of the rosette is             held upward; foliage becomes progressively more relaxed             towards the outer whorls of mature foliage, at an average             angle of 45 degrees from horizontal.         -   Apex.—Broad acute to apiculate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Juvenile leaves are lightly serrulate and moderately             undulate; margins becoming nearer to entire and less             undulated as foliage matures.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the adaxial             surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to strongly             glaucous.         -   Pubescence, texture and luster of the abaxial             surface.—Glabrous, smooth, and matte; moderately to strongly             glaucous.         -   Color.—Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface — Greyed-green,             nearest to RHS 191A; margined lighter, nearest to RHS 190D;             the epicuticular glaucous wax covering the leaf surface is             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 188A. Juvenile foliage, abaxial             surface — Greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191A; margined             lighter, nearest to RHS 190D; the epicuticular glaucous wax             covering the leaf surface is nearest to in between             blue-green and greyed-green, nearest to RHS 122B, 188A and             188B. Mature foliage, adaxial surface — Nearest to in             between yellow-green and greyed-green, RHS 147A and 191A,             and fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest to a             mixture of RHS 145A and 145B; margined white, nearest to RHS             N155A; the epicuticular glaucous wax covering the leaf             surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 188A. Mature             foliage, abaxial surface — Greyed-green, nearest to RHS             191A, and fading to yellow-green towards the base, nearest             to a mixture of RHS 145A and 145B; margined white, nearest             to RHS N155A; the epicuticular glaucous wax covering the             leaf surface is nearest to in between blue-green and             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 122B, 188A and 188B. Venation —             No venation is visible.         -   Petiole.—No petiole; leaves are sessile. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date. -   Comparisons with the parent plant and closest known comparator:     Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2001’ differ from the seed parent,     an unnamed Echeveria elegans plant (not patented), in the following     characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘AMIECH2001’ The seed parent. Plant size. Larger than the parent. Smaller than ‘AMIECH2001’. Foliage aspect. Distal portion of the foliage Flat; not curved towards the apex is curved upward. upward. Plants of the new cultivar ‘AMIECH2001’ differ from the pollen parent, an unnamed Echeveria shaviana plant (not patented), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘AMIECH2001’ The pollen parent. Plant size. Smaller than the parent. Larger than ‘AMIECH2001’. Foliage Juvenile leaves are lightly Juvenile leaves are lightly margins. serrulate and moderately serrulate and lightly undulate; margins nearer undulate; margins nearer to entire and less undu- to entire and not undulated lated as foliage matures. as foliage matures. General Light greyed-green and Generally appearing as coloration of lightly suffused blue- purple suffused with pink. the foliage. green.

-   Comparisons with the closest known comparator: Plants of the new     cultivar ‘AMIECH2001’ differ from the closest known commercial     comparator, Echeveria hybrid ‘Canadian’ (not patented), in the     following characteristics described in Table 3 below.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘AMIECH2001’ ‘Canadian’ Foliage size. Smaller than Larger than ‘Canadian’. ‘AMIECH2001’. Foliage attitude. More upright than More relaxed than ‘Canadian’. ‘AMIECH2001’. Foliage aspect. Curved downward Flat; not curved at the at the apex. apex. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Echeveria hybrid plant named ‘AMIECH2001’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 